The Finance Center

National Finance Center For Professionals

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  • bankruptcy A fast bankruptcy process is available online

    Today, with widespread availability of treatment services bankruptcy form on the Internet, online filing of bankruptcy is now easier and much of the story is that the process is very easy and saves time. If you know the legal demands associated with the bankruptcy filing and you know what forms ...

  • Bank rates Where you can find the best bank rates

    What are the best rates and which bank will give you your money? Of course, today, with low interest rates that are available, there is a bank that will be the highest rate of for a possible and your savings account is very important. Some banks have higher prices than ...

  • online investing Online investing: easy and quick

    Compared to the past years, finding ways to invest your money has never been easier, faster and more informed thanks to Internet technology. You can make money immediately with up to the minute trading of securities with various services that give the opportunity to buy for only a few dollars, ...

  • Debt management How to choose between different debt management services

    Debt credit card and problems with returning because of unbalanced budget and instable financial management is a trouble of every third man nowadays. But networks of various debt reliefs that are often available on the market put an end to the concerns of those seeking help to get rid of ...

Marie Conklin September - 28 - 2010

In the year 2000, my personal life and financials were in the toilet. I was in my early thirties, my marriage was breaking up and I had to borrow against my meager 401(k) funds to settle with my ex. My net worth was right around zero. Since 2000, I’ve managed to increase my net worth around $1 million during one of the worst investment periods in recent memory. And no, I didn’t get lucky with company stock options, win the lottery, receive an inheritance or even rob a bank.

I’m one of those “millionaires next door” who you may have heard about. My wife and I (yes, I eventually re-married, and it’s definitely better the second time around) have two kids, ordinary white collar careers and a shared financial philosophy that has enabled us to build wealth even during difficult economic times. We call these our “Eight Laws of Investing.”

1.

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Marie Conklin September - 25 - 2010

MyCreditGroup.com has posted a very helpful article that discusses how having bad credit has a negative impact on your financial well being and credit report. Having bad credit can send you into serious debt in the long and short terms unless you look into some options for credit repair.

Here is a list of just a few of the negative effects caused from bad credit:

- Your loan application could be denied. If your credit score is lower than the average, lenders will see you as too risky to lend money to. Your credit score will make it look like you won’t be as likely to pay back the loan as someone with an average credit score. Some lenders might not offer you any line of credit at all.

- Creditors and lenders, specifically the ones behind credit cards, view your bad credit with skepticism and will slap you with high interest rates. Read more…

Marie Conklin September - 21 - 2010

I’ve heard the most common marital fights are over intimacy and money. While I’m not a relationship expert, I do think that one way to improve your love life is to tackle your money problems!

Many newlyweds make exciting plans to save for this and that because they think they’ll have so much extra money once they combine households. However, when the honeymoon is over, many couples find themselves arguing over where all the money is going each month.

Husbands question the “need” for a new pair of heels and wives quickly counter with the “need” for another round of golf.  What is the answer to this age-old problem? Why not try setting up a realistic, easy-to-manage budget, then kicking off those high heels and golf cleats and spending some quality time together.

Envision 3 buckets of money – red, yellow and green.

Red Bucket is your household account where you deposit your paychecks and pay your fixed monthly bills. Whatever is leftov

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Marie Conklin September - 17 - 2010

Truth-out.org has posted an article how the difficulties of the government instigated mortgage assistance programs were designed to help banks “earn their way back to health.” Only a small percentage of homeowners are eligible to receive any assistance, and out of those, very few get any “meaningful assistance.” The overall idea of the programs is to lower homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments, but doesn’t reduce the overall burden.

Often, the burden on homeowners increases because money, that the homeowners could have otherwise saved, is funneled to help bail out banks. The Treasury has recently admitted that all the elaborate mortgage assistance programs were designed to “pump money into big banks and shield them from losses on bad loans”… and at all about helping homeowners. The Treasury’s only “serious” program to help ordinary people is really just a sham to help megabanks.

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Marie Conklin September - 15 - 2010

New overdraft rules are in full effect, leaving many consumers wondering if it’s best to opt into now optional overdraft protection or go without it. Learn what the Federal Reserve’s new overdraft rules are and how they affect your checking and savings account before you make a decision. In addition, find out about alternative ways to protect your accounts from overdraft fees.

New Overdraft Rules

Before the new overdraft rules, your bank could allow ATM withdrawals and debit card purchases, even if you didn’t have enough money in your account to cover the charge. Consequently, the bank would promptly hit your account with an overdraft fee of up to $34 for each transaction. The new law, however, requires you to opt-in to accept this protection. Otherwise, the bank must deny the charge or withdrawal that would overdraw your account. If yo

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Marie Conklin September - 13 - 2010

Investing your money is a great way to save for retirement, college and other big ticket expenses. Unfortunately, sometimes our desire to see a great return on our money leads us to fraudulent investments. Scammers know that we all want the “too good to be true” investment to actually be true, and they work hard to convince us that it is true. Follow these tips to avoid investment scams:

1. Don’t let anyone rush you.

One of the ways scammers get their victims is by rushing them into making decisions. When someone solicits you about an investment, ask for some time (at least 24 hours) to think it over and consult your investment professional or other trusted resource.  If the person soliciting you pressures you into making an immediate decision, walk away!

Keep in mind that sometimes pressure is subtle. The sca

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Marie Conklin September - 7 - 2010

Our law firm was recently contacted by an individual that was receiving long term disability income payments from Prudential. This disability claimant has been on long term disability for approximately 12 months. His disability is the result of a disabling knee condition. His Prudential long term disability policy defines “disability” for the first 24 months as the inability to perform the substantial and material duties of his occupation. After 24 months the definition of disability changes to the inability to perform the material duties of any gainful occupation. Gainful occupation is an occupation that will pay at least 60% of the claimants pre-disability earnings. This is known as the “any occupation” definition.

→ Click to continue reading Beware of unreasonable Prudential Disability Insurance lump sum buyout offer.

Marie Conklin August - 31 - 2010

If you’re like many Americans, you move homes fairly regularly. In fact, more than 40 million Americans move every year, according to the Census Bureau. For many folks, moving is about getting into a bigger or better home. Whatever the reason, moving always brings stress and extra expense.

This month, I’m organizing my family’s move from Phoenix to Texas. We’re a family of re-locaters. With a husband in the service, I’ve gotten used to moving on a moment’s notice. But, with each move comes the task of organizing our junk much-treasured belongings, getting all the members of our family ready, scheduling appointments with Realtors, calling ahead to turn on utilities, figuring out car licensing, etc.

With each move I’ve made, I’ve learned a few things. Here are five helpful moving tips that will hopefully make your next move a little easier:

Packing Can Be Expensive, Time Consuming and Hard

Boxes are not cheap. Check out Craig

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